Nafla
{{Short description|South Korean rapper (born 1992)}}
{{family name hatnote|Choi||lang=Korean}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Nafla
| image = Nafla 200625.png
| caption = Nafla in June 2020.
| native_name =
| birth_name = Nicholas Seok-bae Choi
| alias =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1992|2|28}}
| birth_place = Orange County, California, U.S.
| occupation = {{hlist|Rapper}}
| genre = {{hlist|Hip hop}}
| instrument = Vocals
| years_active = 2016–present
| label = MKIT Rain
Groovl1n
| associated_acts =
| website =
| module = {{Infobox Korean name/auto
|hangul = %최석배
|child=yes
}}
}}
Nicholas Seok-bae Choi ({{Korean|hangul=최석배}}; born February 28, 1992),{{cite web|url=https://search.naver.com/search.naver?sm=tab_hty.top&where=nexearch&query=%EB%82%98%ED%94%8C%EB%9D%BC+&oquery=&tqi=hQlGesp0Jy0ssFghuL0ssssst2K-028722|script-title=ko:나플라 프로필|website=Naver|language=ko|access-date=January 31, 2022}} better known by his stage name Nafla ({{Korean|hangul=나플라|labels=no}}), is a South Korean and American rapper. He was the winner of Show Me the Money 777.{{cite web|url=https://www.sedaily.com/NewsVIew/1S74U4XLVP|script-title=ko:[종합] '쇼미더머니777' 우승자 나플라, 상금 2억원 차지…2등 루피·3등 키드밀리|website=The Seoul Economy Daily|date=November 10, 2018|language=ko|access-date=January 31, 2022}}
Early life and education
Nicholas Seok-bae Choi was born in Orange County, California, on February 28, 1992, to South Korean parents. He lived in the United States until he was five years old, and then lived in South Korea until he was in the fourth grade.
Choi subsequently returned to America and immediately entered the sixth grade, skipping a grade level. He attended Rosemont Middle School in La Crescenta, a suburban neighborhood in Los Angeles County.{{Cite web |first= |date=2017-08-20 |script-title=ko:나플라 Nafla, LA에서 온 박자를 타고난 래퍼 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DT12S5UvxQw |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=YouTube}} Choi went on to attend Crescenta Valley High School, where he met his MKIT Rain labelmates Bloo and Young West.{{Cite web |year=2019 |title=Around the Globe: MKIT RAIN |url=https://view.ceros.com/hype-beast/around-the-globe-mkit-rain/p/1 |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=Hypebeast}} Afterwards, Choi enrolled at the University of Southern California, and graduated in 2015 with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration.
Legal issues
In 2019, Choi was investigated for illegal use of marijuana, which resulted in a suspended indictment. In June 2020, he was found guilty of violating South Korea's Narcotics Control Act by smoking marijuana in his home. Choi was sentenced to 2 years of probation with immediate imprisonment for any violations, along with 120 hours of community service.{{Cite web |last=Kim |first=So-yeon |date=2021-09-29 |title='대마 흡연' 래퍼 나플라, 1심서 집행유예 - 스타투데이 |url=https://www.mk.co.kr/star/hot-issues/view/2021/09/927724/ |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=매일경제 - 스타투데이}}
On February 22, 2023, Choi was arrested for attempting to evade South Korea's mandatory military service. He was accused of falsifying medical records that diagnosed him with depression, as well as using these documents to apply for the position of a non-active duty personnel. Choi went on to pause his military service for 18 months on 7 occasions, and he also skipped his mandated duty as a social worker by filing for sick leave or early leave with his medical records.{{Cite web |last=Ha |first=Sophie |date=2023-02-22 |title=Rapper Nafla arrested on charges of using brokers to avoid mandatory military service |url=https://www.allkpop.com/article/2023/02/rapper-nafla-arrested-on-charges-of-using-brokers-to-avoid-mandatory-military-service |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=Allkpop}}{{Unreliable source?|reason=See reliable sources list on WP:KO/RS|date=July 2025}}{{Cite web |last=Ha |first=Sophie |date=2023-02-01 |title=Rapper Nafla is being investigated for trying to avoid mandatory military service using brokers |url=https://www.allkpop.com/article/2023/02/rapper-nafla-is-being-investigated-for-trying-to-avoid-mandatory-military-service-using-brokers |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=Allkpop}}{{Unreliable source?|reason=See reliable sources list on WP:KO/RS|date=July 2025}}{{Cite web |date=2023-03-13 |script-title=ko:"복무기간 1년 9개월, 출근은 0일" 래퍼 '나플라' 등 병역기피 기소 (2023.03.13/뉴스데스크/MBC) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGtSLFhdmGU |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=YouTube - MBC News}} On August 10, 2023, Choi was sentenced to a year in prison.{{Cite web |last=Kim |first=Joo-hee |date=2023-08-10 |script-title=ko:허위 뇌전증으로 병역비리 시도한 라비 집유… 출근 안 한 나플라는 징역 1년 |url=https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/article/082/0001226615?sid=102 |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=Naver News}}
On February 13, 2024, Choi was released on bail in accordance with the process of appealing his prison sentence.{{Cite web |last=Yi |first=Eunha |date=2024-02-13 |title=Rapper Nafla granted bail pending appeal in military service evasion case |url=https://www.allkpop.com/article/2024/02/rapper-nafla-granted-bail-pending-appeal-in-military-service-evasion-case |access-date=2024-06-18 |website=Allkpop}}{{Unreliable source?|reason=See reliable sources list on WP:KO/RS|date=July 2025}}
Discography
=Studio albums=
=Extended plays=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Album details ! scope="col" colspan="1" style="width:5em;" | Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Sales |
| KOR |
|---|
| scope="row" | New Blood
|
| 15 | |
| scope="row" | LooFla {{small|with Loopy}} |
| 42 | |